ITALIAN CULINARY ADD-ONS | 13

GATEWAYS-INTERNATIONAL.COM

International airfare not included. Minimum 2 passengers travelling. Available between April and December. Not valid during special events, festivals or congresses. Blackout periods may apply. Pricing for other dates available upon request. For full terms and conditions, refer to page 35.

Our Italian Culinary programs are designed to be added to your travel itinerary to introduce you to a world of tasty gastronomic riches and unique experiences. Observe at close hand, the work of wine and food producers that open their wineries and food shops to visitors. Savour the different flavours and satisfy your appetite by discovering something typical, traditional and unusual. These two itineraries are just a sampling of the unique culinary adventures we offer.

Cheese and WineLAKE MAGGIORE, ITALY

Truffle HuntingPIEDMONTE, ITALY

Wine and cheese: the perfect pairing. The area around Lake Maggiore is renowned for its cheese and wine production – an ideal place for gourmands to sample this likely pair. Arrive in Lake Maggiore, a large Italian lake on the south side of the Alps in Northern Italy. Relax at your hotel, Grand Hotel Majestic, originally built in 1870 and acclaimed as one of the most beautiful hotels in Europe. Recently renovated, nearly every room features views of the lake. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. In the morning after breakfast, visit Arona for a lesson from a cheese artisan in a cheese seasoning grotto to learn how to pair Italian cheeses with salami, mustards, breads and wines, followed by a cooking class – lunch is when you will appreciate your creations! In the afternoon, take a boat excursion on Lake Maggiore, visiting the Borromean Islands and sailing around Isola Madre, including a tour of its formal gardens. After breakfast the next day, visit Gheme, a medieval, fortified town where you will meet winemakers Paulo and Antonello, who offer a demonstration and guided tour of their cellar; enjoy a wine tasting with salami and cheese.

These precious truffles are not made of chocolate. Despite the truffle’s reputation as a rare and expensive ingredient, they are used extensively in rustic Italian cooking to add a special touch to the simplest of dishes. On this Italian culinary add-on, arrive in Benevello, a town in the Piedmonte region of Italy, located between the Alps and the Barolo hills. Check into your 4-Star historical villa situated on a ridge among lush woods and Langhe hazelnut groves. Begin your rural cooking class making traditional dishes with a local signora. Enjoy some time at leisure at your hotel which features a large garden and pool overlooking the countryside, followed by a delicious welcome dinner tonight. After breakfast, take some free time to explore the area or relax at your hotel; lunch on your own. In the afternoon, meet a trifulao, a truffle hunter and his dog, Bianca, to learn about the history of truffles and truffle hunting, and partake in actual ‘truffle picking’ together. Sample truffles accompanied by bread, salami, local wines, cheeses and specialities. A gourmet truffle dinner awaits you at a local tavern to conclude your day. After breakfast the next day, visit Barolo for a guided visit of a wine cellar and wine tasting of Piedmontese wines in an enoteca with nearly 35,000 examples of Barolo wines, hosted in a castle.

———–——————————— HIGHLIGHTS ——————————————

2 nights accommodation at Grand Hotel Majestic

Delicious welcome dinner at hotel

Lesson from cheese artisan with cooking class and lunch

Boat excursion on Lake Maggiore

Wine cellar visit with tasting

Buffet breakfast daily; other meals as indicated

Hotel taxes and service charges

Note: Car rental and transfers priced separately.

———–——————————— HIGHLIGHTS —————————————

2 nights accommodation at Villa d’Amelia Relais

Rural cooking class with signora

Delicious welcome dinner at hotel

Truffle hunting excursion with tasting

Dinner with truffle menu at local tavern

Guided visit to Barolo wine cellar with wine tasting

Buffet breakfast daily; other meals as indicated

Hotel taxes and service charges

Note: Car rental and transfers priced separately.

999*from

$CAD$, PP, DBL. OCC.

3 DAYS

1,145 *from

$CAD$, PP, DBL. OCC.

3 DAYS

ITALIAN CULINARY ADD-ONS

International airfare not included. Minimum 2 passengers travelling. Available between April and October. Not valid during special events, festivals or congresses. Blackout periods may apply. Pricing for other dates available upon request. For full terms and conditions, refer to page 35.

TOUR CODE: EU1315A TOUR CODE: EU1315B

31380-Europe 2015 Brochure.indd 13 2015-03-04 3:44 PM